Adjustable extension handle



May 3, 1932.

P.F.DONAHUE ADJUSTABLE EXTENS ION HANDLE Filed Feb. 1l, 1931 Patented May 3, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT EEicE PATRICK F. DONAHUE, OF WATER/VILLE, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO SCOVILL MANU- FACTURING COMPANY, OF NECTICUT WATERVILLE, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CON- AnJUsTABLE EXTENSION HANDLE Application led February 11, 1931.

This invention relates to an improvement in adjustable extension handles preferably associated with the operating mechanism of a flush valve construction and particularly adapted for use with a concealed type of valve. In an installation of extension valve handles in which the valve proper is concealed behind a wall or partition and the operating handle is adjustably secured in relation to the wall through which it necessarily extends, it has heretofore been necessary to utilize a cover plate or an equivalent member to conceal the protruding portion of the fitting which extends through the opening` at the outer face of the wall. The adjusting members of such a vconstruction are generally associated with the protruding portion of the fitting so that a cover or concealing member must be employed to obtain a neat appearing fitting.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a handle construction which eliminates the necessity of using a special conceale ing fitting.

The invention further contemplates the provision `of an extension handle construction which is easily assembled and permits a relatively high degree of adjustability when positioning the same in relationship to a fixed wall or partition. Y -V Another object includes the provision of an operating handle construction which presents a neat appearance when assembled regardless of the final disposition or resting point of the member providing adjustability associated therewith within the limitsv of movement of the same. A further object is to provide a fitting which is of sucient adjustability to compensate for errors in the measurement of distance between the main valve fitting and the outer face of the wall at which point the handle is operatively positioned. Y Y

My invention further includes otherr objects, advantages and novel features of design, construction and arrangement hereinafter more particularly referred to and which will be apparent from the accompanying drawings in which Figure l is a side elevation partially in section to illustrate the as- Serial No. 514,999.

sociation of the respective parts forming the improved extension handle and the relationis suitably fixed in a concealed position be- Y hind a wall or partition, the valve controlling communication between an inlet and outlet connection associated with the same. For purposes of description the valve may be of the type shown in a co-pending application Serial No. 390,884, it being apparent that regardless of the exact flush valve construction utilized, the sameis preferably ofa type that is operable upon the release of an auxiliary valve by -a mechanism associated with the same for this purpose.

As herein illustrated'the auxiliary valve stem is indicated at 11, being situated Within a threaded plug member l2 located in the interior of the valve casing. One end of a tubular member 13 which is preferably exteriorly screw threaded throughout its entire length is adapted to be turned to position in the fixed end of the valve casing and against the plug` 12 or to assume any other stationary relationship with the valve casing which will permit the same to operate the auxiliary valve mechanism as will be hereinafter more particularly described. v Thetubular member may be locked in position within the casing by means of a nut 14 or otherwise. The tubular members are made in standard lengths, each length required by a given job being proportional to the distance between the center of the valve casing and the outer face of the wall.

ecause of errors in the measurement of this distance before installing the device and varying wall thicknesses in different cases,

the length of the tubing measurement needed for a given job very rarely corresponds pro- )ortionally to an exact standard size. ever, in accordance with the present invention the construction is of sufficient adjustability to permit the, use of the neareststandard 1 length of tubing for the given job Without the necessit-y of sawing' the tube to the correct length thereby saving the plumber', making the installation, considerable time and effort.

The Wall or partition behind which the valve and its associated elements are situated is indicated at 15. The exposed or outer face of the Wall and the inner surface of the same are indicated at 16 and 17 respectively. The tubular member l13 extends from its position in the valve casing through an opening in the Wall 15 as indicated at 18.

The nearest standard length of tubing for the given requirements is such that the end of the same will extend approximately even with the outer surface 16 of the Wall. As herein illustrated an internally threaded ferrule 19 is adapted to be turned to position on the end of the tubular member 13. vThe ferrule includes an internal boss 2O for limiting the movement of the same and to correctly position the respective members when assembled. The exposed outer surface of the ferrule is preferably cylindrical in shape and forms a cap as indicated at 21. A rotatable member or sleeve 22 is internally threaded to engage the threads of the ferrule member as indicated at 23 and includes a flange 2a, the inner surface of Which is adapted to be turned to position against the surface 16 of the Wall. The threaded sleeve 22 forms an adjustable member Which may be located at any point along the cap of the ferrule 19, the flange of thel sleeve abutting the Wall surface to conceal the threaded connections of the elements forming the attachment when assembled.

- The dotted lines'in Figure 1, for example, shovv the position of the sleeve on the ferrule in the event that the outer surface of the vvall extends to a point as indicated at A. After the sleeve has been turned against the outer surface 16 of the Wall a nut 30 threaded on the tubular member 13 is turned to position against the inner face 17 of the Wall thereby firmly locking the flange 244 of the sleeve against the outer surface of the Wall 15.

The cap 19 of the ferrule is adapted to protrude an appreciable .distance from the surface of the Wall, it being apparent that the adjustability afforded by the sleeve thereon is determined by the length ofthe cap, the same being only. of sufficient proportions to accommodate the maximum adjustability needed to compensate for the di'lference between the length of the tubing measurement for the given job and the nearest standard size tubing. The extension operating mechanism for the auxiliary valve includes a handle or lever 25, one end of which is adapted to position internally in the end of the ferrule as indicated at 26. A reciprocally positionable member is located Within the tubing 13 and includes an extension rod 27 and plunger 28, Which is adapted to coact With the end of the operating handle and to transmit any movement of the same to operate a stem 29 located at the opposite end of the tubing and arranged in substantial alignment With the Valve stem 11. A suitable energized means such as a spring is utilized to maintain theoperating elements of the extension so that a force is exerted by the plunger -against the operating lever to normally hold the sam-e in an inoperative position. The lever can be moved in any direction in the manual operation of the same to overcome theV stored energy in the spring and move the reciprocating members to Aa position as illustrated by the dotted lines in Figure 1 whereby the stem 29 abutting Athe auxiliary valve stem 11 causes the same to operate the flush valve or similar type of valve in the ordinary manner.

I claim as my invention:

1. An extension attachment forming a valve operating vmechanism and comprising a threaded tubular member connected to a valve casing, a cap threaded externally and internally at one end thereof, said lcap being connected to the end of the tubular member, and a manually operable lever associated with said cap for controlling the movement of a reciprocally positicnable valve operating member Within said tubular member, a threaded sleeve connectable to the exterior threaded portion of said cap and having an integral flange thereon adapted to be movable to a position on the cap to abut the outer surface of a wall, the flange of said sleeve vconcealing the threaded connecting elements of the attachment when assembled.

2. An extension attachment lforming a valve operating mechanism and comprising a tubularmember `connected to a valve casing and adapted to extend Within an opening in a concealing Wall, a lcap connected to the end of the tubular member, and a manually operable lever associated With said cap for controlling the movement of 'a reciprocally positionable valve operating member Within said tubular member, an adjustable connecting member located .upon 'saidc'ap having an integral flange thereon adapted to abut the outer surface of the Wall when assembled to conceal the connecting elements of the attachment.

3. An extension attachment forming a valve operating mechanism and comprising a tubular member connected to a valve casing and vadapted to extend Within an opening in a Wall, a cap connected to the end of the Vtubular member, and a manually operable lever associated with said cap for controlling the movement of a reciprocally positionable valve operating member within said tubular member, an adjustable sleeve connecting said cap having an integr-al flange thereon adapted to abut the outer surface of the Wall behind which the valve casing` is located, the flange of the sleeve concealing the connecting elements of the attachment,

said sleeve forming a neat appearing fitting Within the limits of its movement upon the cap.

4. An extension attachment comprising a 5 tubular member connected to a valve casing and extending to a position Within an opening in a concealing Wall, a cap located on the end of the tubular member and adapted to protrude an appreciable distance from the outer surface of tue Wall, a sleeve adjustably secured upon said cap having a flange thereon adapted to position against the outer surface of the Wall when assembled to conceal therein the connecting elements of the attachment.

5. An extension attachment comprising a tubular member connected to a valve casing and extending to a position Within an opening in a concealing Wall, a cap located on the end of the tubular member and adapted to protrude an appreciable distance from the outer surface of the Wall. a sleeve adjustably y secured upon said cap having a flange thereon adapted to position against the outer surface of the Wall. the adiustability of the sleeve Within the limits of its movement upon the cap providing a readily assembled fitting to conceal the connecting elements of the attachment Within the Wall surface.

6. An extension attachment forming a valve actuating mechanism comprising a threaded tubular member connected to a valve casing. a cap located on the end of the tubular member. and a manually operable lever associated with said cap for controlling the movement of a reciprocally positionable member Within said tubular member. a sleeve located upon said cap having an integral flange thereon adapted to be movable to a position on the cap to abut the outer surface of a concealing Wall Within which the connecting elements of the attachment are located. a nut located on said tubular member and adapted to be turned to position against the inner surface of the. Wall to firmly maintain the flange of the sleeve in a locked position against the outer surface of the same when assembled. y

An extension attachment for a. valve operating mechanism including a tubular member threaded at one end to a valve casing'and of sufficient .length to extend substantially to the outer face of a concealing wall` a can lit-ted upon the outer end of said tubing and protruding appreciablv from the outer face of the Wall. a sleeve adiustablv secured upon said cap having a fiange adapted to position against the outer surface of the Wall when assembled to conceal therein the con- 60 necting elements of the attachment.

8. An extension attachment for a valve operating mechanism including a tubular member threaded at one end to a valve casing and of sufficient length to extend substantial- 65 ly to the outer face of a concealing Wall, a

cap tted upon the outer end of the said tubing and 'protruding appreciably from the outer face of the wall, a sleeve adj ustably secured upon said cap having a flange adapted to position against the outer surface of the Wall to conceal therein the connecting elements of the attachment, and a nut for locking the sleeve in an assembled position.

V9. An extension attachment forming a valve operating mechanism and comprising a tubular member connected to a valve casing, a cap located on the end of the tubular member,

`and a manually operable lever associated with said cap for controlling the movement of a valve operating member Within said tubular member, a flanged sleeve adj ustably positionable upon said cap, the flange being adapted to abut the outer surface of a Wall when assembled to conceal therein the connecting elements of the tubular member, cap and sleeve.

10. An extension attachment forming a valve operating mechanism and comprising a tubular member connected to a valve casing, a cap located on the end of the tubular member, and a manually operable lever associated with said cap for controlling the movement of a valve operating member Within said tubular member, a flanged sleeve adjustably positionable upon said cap, the flange being adapted to abut the outer surface of a Wall When assembled to conceal therein the connecting elements of the attachment.

Signed by me this 30 day of January7 1931.

PATRICK F. DONAHUE. 

